Programmed sheet distributing device

ABSTRACT

A deflector of a sheet distributing mechanism is positioned at selected stations in response to the passage of sheets past the deflector. A manually programmed crossbar switch determines the preselected numbers of sheets to be distributed to any one of several stations. A sheet stepping switch and a station stepping switch join the programmed crossbars of the crossbar switch when the programmed number of sheets have been received at the selected station so as to index the deflector to the next station. The number of sheets and the number of stations programmed may be varied, stations may be skipped or the device may operate as a collator by distributing a single station at a time to one or more of the sheets. An anticipating device is employed on the station stepping switch to permit smooth operation of the distributing mechanism when several stations are to be skipped.

United States Patent 3,4l8,895 12/1968 Palmer.........................

Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney-Seed, Berry & Dowrey [72] Inventors Donald L. Snellman Seattle; Ernest D. Davis, Richmond Beach; Dale R. Johnson, Seattle, all of Wsh. [2!] Appl. No. 829,274 [22] Filed June 2, 1969 [45] pauimed 1971 ABSTRACT: A deflector of a sheet distributing mechanism is [73] Asslgnee or positioned at selected stations in response to the passage of Seattle, Wash. sheets past the deflector. A manually programmed crossbar switch determines the preselected numbers of sheets to be dis- [54] PROGRAMME], SHEET DISTRIBUTING DEVICE tributed to any one of several stations. A sheet stepping switch 6 claims 3 Drawing Figs and a station stepping switch join the programmed crossbars of the crossbar switch when the programmed number of sheets have been received at the selected station so as to index the deflector to the next station. The number of sheets and the number of stations programmed may be varied, stations may 4 l 3 3 h 5 6 B [Sl] Int. [50] Field C be skipped or the device may operate as a collator by distributing a single station at a time to one or more of the sheets.

[56] Reierencs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1966 Williamson...................

PATENTEU SEP': 4191:

SHEET 1 U? 3 EEONALD L. SNELLMAN ERNEST D. DAVIS DALE R. JOHNSON INVENTORS YW V ATTORNEYS PROGRAMMED SHEET DISTRIBUTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention pertains to sorting devices and, more particularly, to sorting devices that may be programmed to distribute selected numbers of sheets to selected stations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Means is provided for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations or packets, The passage of a sheet into one of the stations is sensed and the signal received therefrom is directed to a program means which passes the signal according to the program to an indexing mechanism for distributing the sheets to another station. The program means may be set for collating, that is, delivering a single sheet to each of several sheet-receivers, or sorting selected numbers of sheet to selected ones of the stations. In addition, the program means may be set to skip various stations which is done with an anticipation device to prevent jerky shipping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I, is an isometric, schematic view of a distributing mechanism capable of distributing sheets of copy or the like to various stations.

FIG. 2 is a control circuit diagram for controlling the operation of the distributing mechanism and capable of being programmed to deliver selected numbers of sheets to selected statrons.

FIG. 3 is a program circuit diagram illustrating the circuitry for operating the distributing mechanism according to a preset program and in conjunction with signals received from the control circuit illustrated in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The distributing mechanism of the instant invention is best illustrated in FIG. I and includes a pair of conveyor tapes 12 which carry sheets of copy S or the like around a pair of upper sheaves l4 and down a vertical run past a plurality of vertically spaced pockets or stations 16. A deflecting assembly 18 includes a deflector 20 that is positioned in the path of the sheets carried by the conveyor tapes l2 and deflects the sheets into one of the various stations. The deflector is moved along the vertical row of stations by a pair of chains 22 that pass over upper sprockets 24 that are keyed on an upper shaft 26. The upper shaft has an extension 28 for a purpose to be later described. The deflector assembly 18 also includes a lower shaft 30 to which is keyed a pair of lower sprockets 31 that carry the chains 22. The lower shaft 30 is rotated, thus positioning the deflector 20, by a continuously running motor M34 operatively connected to the lower shaft 30 by a clutch 33 and a brake 34. The brake and clutch are connected to a shaft 36 which, for purpose to be later described, is keyed a cam 37 having diametrically spaced cam lobes 370.

A brief description of the operation of the distributing mechanism 10 for distributing sheets into the station 16 and indexing the deflector 20 will now be described. A light 39 casts a beam to a photocell 40 with the beam being broken each time a sheet S is deflected into a station 16. For single sheet operation, that is collating, the breaking of the beam by the sheet S and the resumption of the beam after the sheet has passed energizes the circuit for engaging the clutch and disengaging the brake to index the deflector to the next station. A switch 42 having an arm which rides on the cam 36 is activated when contacted by one of the lobes 37a to sense the position of the deflector 20 at the next station and to disengage the clutch and engage the brake. A switch 5-3! which may be positioned at the top or bottom of the deflector assembly 18 depending on the direction of travel of the deflector 20, is operated at the end of each cycle. In the embodiment described the switch 5-31 is at the top of the deflector assembly. A switch 5-25 is operated by a tab 46 that is rotated about a shaft 48 powered by the upper shaft extension 28. One complete cycling of the deflector assembly 18 will rotate the shaft 48 a single revolution. The tab 46 is manually positiona ble by a dial 49 in such a manner that the tab 46 will activate the switch 8-25 when the deflector 20 has been recycled to the station 16 corresponding to the setting of the dial 49. Proof fingers 43 may be lowered by a solenoid 42 into the path of the sheets to remove sheets for proofing by guiding them into a tray 10.

The operation of the distributing mechanism and the details of construction thereof are basically identical to the machine described in US. Pat. No. 3,414,254.

The description of the control circuit of FIG. 2 for operating the distributing mechanism 10 will now be described. The distributing mechanism 10 will be used in conjunction with a feeding device, such as a press, copying machine or other printing apparatus, and will be activated by depressing the start switch 5-3, which is a double switch having normally open contacts S-3-I and normally closed contacts 5-3-2 to energize the power control relay R-16 between lines L-3 and L-2. The line L4, below the power relay circuit R-l6, is also energized through a diode D5 in conjunction with a capacitor C1 to provide DC voltage in the L4. Other forms of conventional rectifier circuits may, of course, be employed to produce constant DC voltage in line L4. Energization of line L4 by the depression of the start switch S-3 also energizes the light 39, which in turn energizes the photocell 40 to complete the circuit through contacts R-I6-l to energize relay R-II. Closure of the contacts R-I I-l by energization of the relay R-ll energizes the automatic shutoff relay R-l4. Relay R-l6 will remain in the circuit upon the release of the start switch S-3 due to the closure of its own contacts, R-16-2, contacts R-l4-l, and the normally closed stop switch S-l. When the start switch 5-3 is released the normally closed contacts S-3-2 are closed to energize drive motor relay R-60 through the now closed contacts R-l6-3. Contacts R-60-I and R-60-2 are closed and contracts R-60-3 and R-60-4 are opened to energize the drive motor M-34. Energization of the drive motor M-34 drives the conveyor tapes l2 continuously so as to receive sheets S and feed them through the deflector assembly 18. The entire device may be stopped at any time by pressing the stop switch 8-1 which drops out the relay R-l6 and consequently the relays R-ll, R-14 and R-60 as well as the light source 39.

Assuming that a previous count for a distributing run has been completed, i.e. the prescribed number of sheets have been distributed, the deflector 20 carried by the chains 22 will have reached its uppermost position (in the preferred embodiment) and contacted the arm of the switch S-3l. Closing the switch S-31 energizes the relay R-IS which locks itself in through one of its contacts R-lS-l and a normally closed brake set switch 5-25. Contacts R-I5-2 are also closed to energize relay R-l3. Contacts R-13-1 are then closed to energize the solenoid of clutch 33 to engage the clutch and contacts R-l3-2 are opened to deenergize the solenoid of brake 34 to disengage the brake so that the chains 22 are driven by the motor M-34 to move the deflector 20 through an uninterrupted recycling traverse. The third contacts, R-l5-3, of relay R-15 are also closed to energize the relay R-42. Energization of the relay R-42 closes contacts R-42-2 to energize the proof solenoid 42 lowering the fingers 43 into the path of the oncoming sheets S so that any sheet approaching the sheaves 14 on the conveyor tapes 12 will be diverted into the proof tray 44 and will not break the beam of the photocell while the deflector 20 is being recycled.

As soon as the deflector 20 starts its upward travel again it will advance to a position which corresponds to the setting of the dial 49 at which position the brake set switch S-25 will be opened by the tab 46 to drop out the relay R-15 opening contacts R-IS-I, R-l5-2 and R-l5-3. Opening contacts R-15-2 deenergizes relay R-13 to open contacts R-I3-I and close contacts R-13-2 which in turn causes disengagement of clutch 33 and engagement of the brake 34 to halt the deflector 20 at the desired station 16. Opening of contacts R-l5-3 deenergizes relay R-42 to deenergize proof solenoid 42 so that the sheets may again begin their downward travel toward the deflector 20. The distributing mechanism is now again ready for the distribution of sheets into the various stations.

Relay R-ll becomes instantaneously deenergized each time a sheet S passes between the photocell 40 and the light source 39. When this occurs contacts R-ll-l are opened, however, relay R-l4 is provided with a conventional resistance-capacitance delay circuit 60 so that by the time the sheet has passed between the photocell and the light source into a station 16 the relay R-l4 is again energized so that contact R-l4-1 are not opened and thus motor M-34 remains in operation. At the time the deflector 20 is at its firs station the arm of the switch 5-138 is in the upper position, as shown in FIG. 2 so that deenergization of relay R-ll by the passage of a sheet past the deflector 20 closes contact R-l 1-2 which energizes the circuit up to point P-3-3 which is connected into the program circuit shown in FIG. 3. Point P-3-3 is eventually connected to point P3-4 when the desired number of sheets, as determined by the program circuit, have been delivered to the selected station 16. Assuming the desired number of sheets have been delivered and the signal is received at P-3-4, relay R- 12 gets energized to latch itself in by its own contacts R-lZ-l. Contacts R-12-2 are also closed so that after the sheet S has passed the beam of the photocell 40 and relay R-ll is again energized contacts R-l1-3 become closed to energize relay R-l3. As mentioned previously energization of relay R-l3 engages the clutch 33 and disengages the brake 34 to index the deflector 20 upward toward the next station As the chains 22 are moved to index the deflector 20 the cam 37 is rotated to remove the arm of switch 138 from a cam lobe 37a and positions the arm of the switchS S-l38 into the lower position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Switch 5-138 is a microswitch which has an arm that changes its position from the upper to the lower contacts instantaneously. Moving the arm of the switch S-l38 to the dotted line position deenergizes the relay R-l2; however, R-l3 remains energized by the circuit through switch 5-138 and diode D4. As the chains continue to move the deflector 20 the arm of the switch S-l38 again rides up on one of the cam lobes 37a to reposition it in its solid line position opening the circuit through diode D4 to drop relay R-13 out of the circuit. At this time the clutch 33 becomes disengaged and the brake 34 engaged stopping the deflector at the next station, it being understood that one-half revolution of the cam 37 is the equivalent of the spacing between two adjacent stations 16. The foregoing operation repeats itself until the deflector 20 has again contacted the arm of the count complete switch S-31.

The deflector 20 may be manually controlled by depressing switch 5-2 which closed contacts S-2-l to energize relay R-12 and upon release of the switch closes contracts S-2-2 to energize relay R-l3. The indexing sequence then follows the foregoing procedure.

The deflector 20 may also be recycled at any desired time during the normal operating cycle by closing recycle switch S-28 which energizes relay R-lS the same as if the count complete switch 5-31 had been closed.

A proof switch S-203 is provided to selectively energize the relay R-42 to energize proof solenoid 42 so that sheets S may be removed for proofing to moving the deflector 20 to its next station.

The program control circuit is illustrated in FIG. 3 with the reference characters P-3-l through P-3-6 and P-3-9 being connected to the control circuit shown in FIG. 2 at the corresponding similarly identified points. The purpose of the program circuit is to allow the operator to determine the number of sheets S to be delivered to each station 16 from the press or feeder. This is accomplished by manually presetting a crossbar switch or matrix 70 having sets of upper and lower contact strips 72 and 74, respectively. If desired, automatically controlled programming devices could be used. A typical crossbar switch is manufactured by Cherry Electrical Products Corporation, Highland Park, Ill. Basically this type of switch employs a series of manually positioned contacts 75 that connect individual strips of top level 72 with those of the lower level 74. In the preferred form the switch has provisions for 26 contact strips on the lower level and 10 strips on the upper level with the 26 strips on the lower level corresponding to 26 stations 16 and 10 strips on the upper level representing from zero to nine sheets. By manually placing a contact 75 at the desired coordinates the number of sheets delivered to each station is established. Zero sheets, that is a skipped station, is accomplished by placing the contract 75 at the upper level strip indicated as zero as illustrated for example at station No. 2. In this position the deflector 20 will skip station No. 2 delivering no sheets thereto. The strips 72 are joined to a circuit 75 by a sheet-stepping contact 77. The sheet stepping contact 77 is stepped around to various contacts or terminals numbered 1-11 by a conventional stepping coil to be later described. The lower strip 74 and thus an upper strip 72 when in contract with a lower strip 74 are connected to a circuit 78 via station-stepping contract 79 and a diode D3. The stationstepping contact 79 is of the type that is stepped by a spring each time its coil is deenergized. A suitable switch is manufactured by Automatic Electric as a Type 45 Rotary Stepping Switch. Further details of the operation of the station-stepping contact 79 will be given herein below. Each time the stationstepping contact 79 advances the sheet-stepping contact 77 is horned to the first position as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3. When the deflector 20 has reached an end of its cycle both stepping contacts 77 and 79 are returned to home positions, i.e. first positions. Unless changed by charging the position of a movable contact 75 the program is ready to be repeated.

The program circuit of FIG. 3 is inserted at points in the control circuit of FIG. 2 and particularly at point P-3-3 so that the signal which causes the deflector bar 20 to be indexed to a next station after a sheet has been fed into a station 16 is fed into program circuit at point P-3-4. Thus when the contact of the collate-sort switch 80 is moved from terminal 81 to terminal 82 points P-3-3 and P-3-4 will be directly connected and the program circuit will be effectively bypassed so that the control circuit of FIG. 2 operates in its normal manner.

The index signal being utilized at point P-3-3 is an appropriate positive DC voltage, transmitted when a sheet S begins entrance between the light 39 and the photocell 40. When the contract of the collate-sort switch 80 is placed on terminal 81 this DC voltage is applied to relay C through isolating diode D1, line 84, interrupter contacts 85, normally closed contacts R-l2-3, and line 86 to point P-3-9 which is connected to line L-2 in the control circuit. Relay C pulls in and latches through a set of its own contacts C-l which connects the high side of its coil to a steady source of positive voltage at point P-3-2. At the same time contacts C-2 are closed in the return circuit of the sheet stepper coil 87. Since this coil is connected, on the high side, to the steady source of positive DC voltage at point P-3-2 (See FIG. 2), it is now ready to be energized when the return circuit is completed through isolating diode D2 and a normally open set of contacts R-1l-4 of the relay R-l 1.

When the trailing edge of the sheet S enters the station 16 and thus no longer breaks the beam between the light 39 and the photocell 40 the relay R-ll is again energized to close the contracts R-l1-4 completing the return circuit of the coil 87 and advancing the sheet-stepper contact 77 one position. The interrupter points on the coil are momentarily opened when this happens dropping out relay C the dropout of which is retarded by resistor-capacitor delay circuit 88 across its coil in order to make certain that the sheet-stepper contact 77 has sufficient time to complete its step.

The foregoing sequence is repeated until the sheet-stepper contact 77 reaches the contact strip 72 on the crossbar switch 70 which is shorted by a contact 75 to the lower contact strip 74 on which the station-stepper contact 79 is resting. At this time the index signal at P-3-3 is connected through the sheetstepper contact 77, the contract strips 72 and 74, through the station-stepper contact 79 and thence through isolating diode D3 to line 78 and to point P-3-4 allowing the deflector bar 20 to be indexed one station. At the instant that the index signal arrives at point P-3-4 the relay R-12 becomes energized dropping out relay C by opening contacts R-l2-3.

The reset signal for the sheet-stepper contact 77 is an appropriate DC voltage taken from the portion of the control circuit energizing relay R-13 and appearing at P-3-5 when the deflector 20 is endexed. This signal is applied to the reset coil 89 through the contacts 90 which completes the circuit only when the stepper is not in home position. The return circuit for this coil 89 is through a normally closed set of contacts C-3, isolating diode D2, a normally open set of contacts 11-114 of the relay R-l 1, line 86 to point 3-9 at line L-2 of the control circuit. Since relay C is dropped out as described above when the relay R-12 is energized (contracts R-12-3 opened) the return circuit to the coil 87 is opened, the return circuit to the reset coil 89 is closed, thus homing the sheetstepper contact 77 in a conventional manner.

The signal for stepping the station-stepper contact 79 is an appropriate positive DC voltage taken directly form the point P-3-11 in the line connected by switch 5-138. The signal is applied to the high side of the station-stepper coil 91 through a normally closed set of contracts R-3 of relay R. Contacts R-3 when opened prevent the station-stepper contact 79 from advancing beyond the home position when the station-stepper contact is being reset to home position.

It will be noted that the lower strip contract 72 representing zero sheets is connected to point P-3-1 through normally closed relay contracts R-l. An appropriate DC signal appears at point P-3-1 form the control circuit in FIG. 2 whenever the arm of the index switch 8-138 is in the soild line position, that is, with the deflector 20 in position to feed a sheet at a station 16. Therefore, whenever the strip 72 representing zero sheets is connected to a lower strip 74 by a contact 75 this signal is applied, through the station-stepper contact 79, isolating diode D3, line 78, to point P34 causing the deflector 10 to be indexed immediately without deflecting a sheet S at the statron.

A unique feature of the invention is the use of an anticipating device to insure a smooth skip by the deflector assembly 18 by keeping the relay R-l3 energized constantly until the desired number of receiving stations have been skipped. This prevents the instantaneous application of the brake and disengagement of the clutch at each station which in a series of consecutive skipped stations would produce an annoying jerky operation. To assure a smooth skip when more than one station is skipped the station-stepper is provided with a second level B of terminals 1 to 25 that are joined respectively to terminals 2 to 26 of level A. The station-stepper contact 79 has a corresponding level B station-stepper contact 179a which moves conjointly with the contact 79. Consequently when station-stepper contact 79 is connected to its terminal on at level A, contact 79a is connected to terminal 2 at level B. In other words, each contact or terminal of level B of this switch is so wired that it looks one terminal and thus one station ahead on the level A of the switch. Since a programmed demand for Zero sheets connects the positive voltage at P-3-1 through the strip contact 72 and 74 to the selected terminal at level A, this voltage is also seen one station in advance by level B of the station-stepper contact 79 a and is applied to energize a relay SSA through a line 94. The return circuit of relay SSA is completed through an isolating diode D6 to point P-3-9 at line L2. Energization of relay SSA closes contacts SSA-1 connecting the steady source of DC voltage at P-3-2 to the zero strip contact 72 thus maintaining a steady source of DC voltage at P-3-4 until such time as the station-stepper contact 79a of level B no longer sees a voltage. Level B no longer sees a voltage indicating a skip at the next station when the terminal to which it is connected is a strip contact 74 that is not connected so a zero upper strip contact due to the absence of a contact 75. (ln other words, contact 75 has been placed to distribute sheets to that particular station.) As a result of this operation a jerky skip is prevented since the clutch remains engaged and the brake remains disengaged so long as the next succeeding station is also to be skipped. If desired the anticipation can be of several stations in advance, rather than a single station, to sense other advanced conditions.

The upper strip contact 72 representing a sheet distribution of one to a particular station is connected directly to point P-3-3 by a line 95. The sheet-stepper contact 77 is in an off (open) position for a sheet delivery of one. Thus when a single sheet is programmed for any station 16, the sheet stepper contract 77 is bypassed and the deflector assembly 18 and the control circuit, in effect, operate in a normal fashion with indexing of the deflector 20 to the next station occurring after the delivery of a single sheet.

There is no strip contact 72 corresponding to ten sheets. The number ten terminal of the sheet stepper is connected directly to the terminal 81 of the collate-sort switch via a jumper line 96, and the line 78. This thereby routes the index signal directly to point P-34 on the count of ten thus indexing the deflector 20.

The signal for resetting the station-stepper contact 79 and 79a is taken from the same source as the reset signal for the sheet-stepper contact 77. It is applied through a normally open set of contacts R-2 of the relay R, through contact 97 which is normally open only when the station-stepper contact 79 reaches home or station one position and the interrupter contracts 92 to the high side of the station stepper coil 91. The return circuit to energize the coil is, as previously described, through contact C-3, diode D2, contact R-ll-4 line 86, to point P-3-9 at line L2. Due to the action of the interrupter contacts 92, the station stepper contacts 79 and 79a will move around to home position when the contact 97 is open to break the circuit. Unwanted currents generated by the inductance of the step coil 91 during the rapid making and breaking of the circuit by the interrupter contacts 92 are dissipated by a varistor 98 across the coil 91. The signal to energize the relay R is received through point P-3-6, from the high side of relay R-15 in the control circuit of FIG. 2. A signal to energize R is received at point P-3-6 when the deflector 20 is being recycled to begin another traverse. A resistor-capacitor delay circuit 100 is applied across the coil of relay R to delay the dropping out of this relay long enough to insure that the stepper contact the stepper contractor 79 does not accidentally advance one step. This insurance is provided by the normally closed contract R-3 and in the positive DC supply circuit form P-3-1 by the contacts R-l.

As is readily apparent to one skilled in the art various modifications in the individual components of the various circuits may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the proper interpretation of the appended claims.

1. A device for distributing selective numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one of said stations, said program means including a selector switch having contact strips on upper and lower levels and manually placed contacts connecting various of said upper and lower contact strips; and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.

2. The distributing device of claim 1 wherein said program means includes a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch and wherein said station-stepper switch includes anticipating means for looking ahead to the next station to determine a skipped condition.

3. A device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one said stations, said program means including a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch; said sheet-stepper switch including a stepping coil and reset coil and wherein said station-stepper switch includes indirectly driven, multilevel station-stepping contracts and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.

4. A device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; said distributing mechanism including a deflector positioned in the path of said moving sheets and selectively alignable at a plurality of said station; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one of said switch operative sequentially engaged the other level of con-' tact strips, and means for advancing said station-stepper switch to a next contact strip and homing said sheet-stepper switch upon said sheet-stepper switch reaching a contact strip coupled to said station-stepper switch through said manually placed contact. 

1. A device for distributing selective numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one of said stations, said program means including a selector switch having contact strips on upper and lower levels and manually placed contacts connecting various of said upper and lower contact strips; and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.
 2. The distributing device of claim 1 wherein said program means includes a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch and wherein said station-stepper switch includes anticipating means for looking ahead to the next station to determine a skipped condition.
 3. A device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to sElected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one said stations, said program means including a sheet-stepper switch and a station-stepper switch; said sheet-stepper switch including a stepping coil and reset coil and wherein said station-stepper switch includes indirectly driven, multilevel station-stepping contracts and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said stations.
 4. A device for distributing selected numbers of sheets to selected stations comprising means for delivering successive numbers of sheets to a distributing mechanism for distribution into a plurality of stations; said distributing mechanism including a deflector positioned in the path of said moving sheets and selectively alignable at a plurality of said station; means for sensing the passage of a sheet into a selected one of said stations; program means for passing an index signal when a preselected number of sheets is reached for said preselected one of said stations; and means responsive to said index signal for indexing said distributing mechanism to deliver sheets to another of said station.
 5. The distributing device of claim 4 wherein said distributing mechanism is a collator.
 6. The distributing device of claim 1 wherein said programs means includes a sheet-stepper switch operative to sequentially engage one level of contact strips, a station stepper switch operative sequentially engaged the other level of contact strips, and means for advancing said station-stepper switch to a next contact strip and homing said sheet-stepper switch upon said sheet-stepper switch reaching a contact strip coupled to said station-stepper switch through said manually placed contact. 